1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to railcar unloading devices. More particularly, the present invention relates to railcar vibrators.
2. Related Art
It is known that applying a vibrational force to a railway car or railway hopper car, hereafter referred to as a “railcar”, can assist in unloading lading from a railcar hopper. Typical lading can include aggregate materials such as grain, sand, coal, petroleum coke, blast furnace coke, gravel, ballast, and a variety of other materials.
Applying a constant vibration to a railcar helps to reduce friction during discharge and to maintain a reliable flow of material, thus speeding up the unloading process. A large variety of vibrators have been developed to assist railway workers in vibrating railcars. These vibrators are typically attached to the side, top or bottom of a railcar. Some vibrators are portable vibrators that require being removed and replaced repeatedly to unload a line or railcars. Unfortunately, this process can be time-consuming and can require the use of several railway workers to repeatedly position and reposition the vibrators.
Other vibrators are larger, stationary vibrators that allow a line of railcars to be advanced into position, vibrated and unloaded, advanced again, vibrated and unloaded, and so on. While these vibrators avoid the need to manually reposition multiple portable vibrators, unfortunately these devices typically have a vibrator component that has to be retracted and then repositioned with each railcar, adding to the time required to unload a railcar. Moreover, sequencing errors such as advancing the railcar before the vibrator is retracted and cause damage to the vibrator, railcar, or both. Additionally, these devices are frequently expensive and bulky.
One important consideration in the technique of railcar unloading is the risk of damage to a railcar. Some railcar hoppers (typically older models) are made of steel. The steel siding of these hoppers can withstand the vibration of a vibrator having a powerful impact. However, many railcar hoppers are currently being made of more malleable materials, such as aluminum, composites, or the like. The sides of these cars can be easily damaged by the force of a powerful vibrator.
Noise pollution is another consideration involved with railcar unloading devices. Vibrators can be very noisy when used against a railcar hopper. This problem is compounded when multiple railcar vibrators are used, such as in a large railway station. This large volume of noise disturbs neighboring businesses and residents.